Theodore Lowi - Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Professor: Theodore Lowi

Department: Political Science

College: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Lowi probably used to be a great lecturer, but now he just rambles all class and occasionally says something entertaining. Everything depends on your TA, so try to get a good one.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Great guy. Not the best teacher. Class is really boring and TA's do literally all the work. Get to know your TA and be really nice to him/her.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: GOVT111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Take. This. Class. Ted Lowi is entertaining and brilliant. My friend and I quote him to this day (15 years later). If this isn't why you came to college then I don't know what you're doing.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: GOV101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Very subjective grading by TA's. Class was pointless to go to. Just read the textbook and you will be fine. Dont need to read the other books given.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: GOVTGOVT
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

A good class, but grading is done entirely by TA's and can be very subjective. Don't need to ever go to lectures to get an A, but in general I did enjoy his lectures. Not sure I would take it again since I didn't learn much (had previous knowledge) and expected to learn more.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Lectures have no relation to the graded course material, the grading is done only by TA's and is entirely subjective, and some of the TA's are absolutely unforgivably awful. If you have an easy TA this class will be a breeze. If not you can be completely screwed. Nonetheless, for one of Cornell's most famous Professors, this class was really bad.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Lowi's class certainly had a bit of a disjointed feel to it; the few assignments (midterm, final, two papers) seemed random and not directly related to course material. That said, Lowi's lectures are fantastic, and well worth going to for his learned (and fiery!) commentary on both past and current events. A fun course to take for sure.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Lowi is an awesome lecturer. But don't look at the 1111 designation and think you can blow off this class, there's a ton of reading each week (you can get far behind if you don't skim some of it going into section). The grading is pretty hard/arbitrary as well. Exams are based on pre-posted essay questions, and outlining them is time consuming.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Although Lowi is an interesting lecturer and a pretty cool guy, his lectures are totally irrelevant to the course and to the tests/papers. The class itself wasn't that great--grading was done by TA's and seemed totally subjective. The tests weren't that hard, but seemed to be graded arbitrarily as well. I wouldn't recommend this class.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Not such a fan after taking this class; grading is subjective (that's up to the TA, who was a joke), and lectures aren't as clearly organized and unbiased as he promised they would be. They were also pointless, not necessary to attend. Interesting lecture style but overall the class was unsuccessful at teaching me how to think about government.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: GOVT1111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

The lectures were really long, boring, and irrelevant to the readings and the tests. Grading is very subjective. Section was not helpful in reviewing the material.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: GOV111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Best professor ever! Teaches like he's a preacher. Always has entertaining, relevant stories. He brought in Janet Reno once to guest lecture. Great professor, great material, best class ever.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: GOVT111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

As far as Gov 111 goes, you will only see Lowi in lecture. He is brilliant, but information given during lecture is rarely tested (but they are worth listening to anyway). The class is pretty easy, get to know your TA and you are golden. Four grades the entire semester. I'd give it the highest "easy" score but A+'s are non-existent.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: GOVT111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Professor Lowi is a god...his lectures are accessible and engaging but offer such new and brilliant insight into American Government. Listen to his lecture about the problems with bureaucracy in order to make sense of why this class has big problems: the tests are poorly constructed, no one has to attend lecture, and some of the TAs are awful..

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: GOVT111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Lowi is one of Cornell's big-time professors, but seems to really care about his students. The class has quite a bit of reading, and lecture wasn't always helpful. Really take advantage of your TAs because they'll be your main source of info/help.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: GOVT111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Lectures are amazing, not mandatory but the only way that I got anything out of this class was from his wonderful, funny, brilliant lectures.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: GOVT428
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Great teacher, although sometimes over everyone's heads. Not a hard class, and only one (although 15page) paper outside of preparing for exams, no other work. for exams, he gives you 6 essays ahead of time and then one-two on the actual test. You need to do some outside reading for the exams/paper. Manageable class and interesting professor.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: GOVT111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Class is really pretty ridiculously easy, but if you actually want to get something out of it, you definitely can. Most stuff on the exams are pretty much common sense, but lectures are at a higher level (although because it is an intro course and the TA's do the grading, most of this stuff doesn't show up on exams). Lowi's a genius.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: GOV111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

By far the easiest gov. course. Entire semester consists of just 4 graded tests/essays. All the grading is done by the TA, so make sure to get on his/her good side. Midterm and final consist of 2 essays and 8-10 IDs each. Essays are given BEFOREHAND, and IDs come straight out of the textbook's vocab. section. Lectures are unecessary. Very Very easy

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: GOVT111
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

You don't really need to go to lecture, just read the textbook. But Lowi is hilarious but sometimes difficult to understand.